August 4th, 2013 Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian Pastor HOKEHANKISDS. "Let's Build on Our Faith" Daily Lectionary Readings

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1 WEEKLY EVENTS Morning Service - 9:00am Divine Liturgy 10:00am Wednesday August 7th, 2013: Parish Council Meeting- 7:00pm UPCOMING EVENTS Monday August 12th, 2013: Important Picnic Meeting 7:30pm. Come One Come All!!! Sunday August 25th, 2013: Annual Picnic. Details on our website & weekly bulletin. Saturday October 19th, 2013: Armenian Friends of America presents Hye Kef 5 A Five Hour Dance from 7:30pm - 12:30am. Details on our website & weekly bulletin. Friday Nov. 8th & Sat. Nov. 9th, 2013: Annual Autumnfest. Details forth coming. The Picnic Is Around The Corner The Armenian Food & Music Festival is fast approaching, Sunday August 25th, :00 Noon - 5:00pm. There is a lot of prep work & items that need to be moved to & from the picnic grounds. We only have a core group of people to do this work, and it is just not enough. We have a lot of voids that need to be filled on the signup sheets posted in the Church hall for various duties such as preparation of meats, setting up the hall, clean up, etc. The week prior to the picnic is going to be a busy one as usual. On the August activity calendar, daily breakdown of activities are listed. This is a major undertaking & with the efforts of everyone, it will help make this a fun & prosperous event. If you can donate your time & efforts, please contact anyone on the picnic committee. Your help will be very much appreciated. Remember, we are doing this for the Betterment Our Church. Thank you!!! August 4th, 2013 Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian Pastor "Let's Build on Our Faith" THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH AT HYE POINTE SERVICES AT ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR 110 MAIN STREET, HAVERHILL MA Daily Lectionary Readings Isaiah 62: Timothy 2: John 6: HOKEHANKISDS None This Week

2 HOKEHANKISD DONATIONS FOR THE SOULS OF MALCOLM & ALICE NALBANDIAN from: M/M Berge Nalbandian & Vici Kramer, Linda & Paul Doherty, M/M Anthony Giragosian, Katherine Meranian, M/M Scott Sahagian, Lu Sirmaian, M/M John Mosto, Bea Ohanian, Eva Naroian, Robert Serabian, Rose Q. Azarian, M/M Larry Pahigian, Mark Sahagian, Melanee Naroian, M/M Michael Naroian, Rose Stepian, Barbara & Richard Naroian, M/M Charles Bazarian, Esther Tanoian, Arpi Kazanjian & Family, M/M Mel Menasian HOKEHANKISD DONATIONS FOR THE SOUL OF PHILLIP TANOIAN from: Esther Tanoian, Linda & Paul Doherty, Barbara & Richard Naroian, Rose Stepian, M/M Michael Naroian, M/M Anthony Giragosian, Katherine Meranian, M/M Gary Townsend, M/M Richard Bazarian, Gale & Paul Cifra, M/M Scott Sahagian, Lu Sirmaian, M/M John Mosto, Bea Ohanian, Eva Naroian, Robert Serabian, Rose Q. Azarian, M/M Larry Pahigian, Mark Sahagian, Melanee Naroian, M/M Charles Bazarian, Arpi Kazanjian & Family, M/M Mel Menasian HOKEHANKISD DONATIONS FOR THE SOUL OF RYAN ODABASHIAN from: Mr. Edward Odabashian, Ms. Margaret Ajemian Ahnert, Barbara & Richard Naroian, Linda & Paul Doherty, Esther Tanoian, Rose Stepian, M/M Michael Naroian, M/M Anthony Giragosian, Katherine Meranian, M/M Gary Townsend, M/M Scott Sahagian, Lu Sirmaian, M/M John Mosto, Bea Ohanian, Eva Naroian, Robert Serabian, M/M Larry Pahigian, Mark Sahagian, Melanee Naroian, M/M Charles Bazarian, Arpi Kazanjian & Family, M/M Mel Menasian REQUEST FOR PRAYERS Prayers & Get Well Wishes for All Who are Ill from: M/M Anthony Giragosian, Gale & Paul Cifra, M/M John Mosto, Bea Ohanian, Eva Naroian, M/M Michael Naroian, Barbara & Richard Naroian Prayers & Get Well Wishes to Dennis Marcotte and All Who are Ill from: M/M Scott Sahagian, Rose Q. Azarian REQUEST FOR PRAYERS - continued Paree Nubadag from: M/M John Mosto Special Prayers & Get Well Wishes for Walter & Maryann Ohanian, Zaven Bogosian from: Arpi Kazanjian & Family Special Prayers and Speedy Recovery to Mary Ann Ohanian from Mike, Sonia and Debbie Ohanian NAME DAY Gordios, Poghiktos, Likianus, Poghiktos, Denshapouh, Vahan, Grigoris, Eugene, Philippus, Klothia, Triphon, Parsam, Vonoprios, Gregory TODAY S GOSPEL READING John 6: And this is the pleasure of him who sent me, that I am not to let out of my hands anything, which he has given me, but I am to give it new life on the last day. 40 This, I say, is my Father's pleasure, that everyone who sees the Son and has faith in him may have eternal life: and I will take him up on the last day. 41 Now the Jews said bitter things about Jesus because of his words, I am the bread, which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we have seen? How is it then that he now says, I have come down from heaven? 43 Jesus made answer and said do not say things against me, one to another. 44 No man is able to come to me if the Father who sent me does not give him the desire to come: and I will take him up from the dead on the last day. 45 The writings of the prophets say, and they will all have teaching from God. Everyone whose ears have been open to the teaching of the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only he who is from God, he has seen the Father. 47 Truly I say to you, He who has faith in me has eternal life.

3 Commemoration of Sts. Martyrs Gordios, Poghiktos and Grigoris Date Gordios was a Captain from Caesaria. His parents were pious Christians. He served in the Royal Army during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian s. Witnessing many cases of unfairness and injustice, he was isolated and devoted himself to God. When the Emperor Likianus started the persecutions against Christians, Gordios went to Caesaria and confessed to the heathen crowd that he was Christian and started to preach them the Truth. He was imprisoned and forced to offer sacrifice to the idols. But St. Gordios remained unshaken in his faith. After severe torments he passed away in 320 AD. Christians gathered his relics and buried them. Poghiktos is the first martyr of the Armenian town Melitene. Thanks to his friend he adopted Christianity. He prohibited the reading of the King s Charter before the idols and tore it into pieces. For that deed he was martyred being beheaded in 259 AD. Grigoris has been martyred in 549 AD as the result of persecutions of the Persian king Denshapouh. Grigoris was Persian by nationality. Before baptism his name was Manajihr. During the reign of the Armenian Governor Mzhezh Gnouni he left for Armenia and was baptized and received a new name Grigoris. Afterwards he entered a monastery and began to lead monastic life. When the King Denshapouh came to Armenia and found out that in the past Grigoris had been fire- worshipper, forced him to return to his old faith. But St. Grigoris did not betray Christ and was martyred. The Armenian Apostolic Church at Hye Pointe Community Wishes to Express Their Deepest Sympathies to Jean Christian, Claire Megrian & Elaine St. Onge and the Families of Ms. Cheryl Christian-Silvas who passed away recently. May Her Soul Rest in Peace.

4 Commemoration of St. Vahan of Goghten Date Vahan of Goghten was the son of Prince Khosrov, the Governor of the province of Goghten. In childhood, together with many other Armenian princes, he was captivated by the Arabs and was taken to Damask, where is circumcised and renamed Vahab. Vahan was a very clever and skilled young man. Receiving proper education he undertook various responsibilities in the royal court. Despite the fact that he was brought up and educated in Arabic environment, Vahan knew about his ancestors. He hadn t forgotten that he had been Christian and came from a noble family. In 719 AD The Armenian Pontiff Hovhannes of Odzoun paid a visit to the Governor of Damask, and upon his request the Governor allowed the captives to return to their homeland. Taking the opportunity Vahan also expressed wish to visit his homeland and was allowed on condition of returning. Reaching Armenia, Vahan became aware of the Governor s death and took a decision to remain in his homeland. He married the daughter of the Prince Babken, the Governor of Syounik province, and lived there. However, the New Governor of Damask began the searches for Vahan. The latter concealing himself, wandered in his homeland, in Georgia, visited many churches and monasteries and finally stopped in the town Routsap, in Syria. Rejecting the governor s suggestion to change his faith, he was martyred in 737 AD. On the day of the saint s commemoration a special church hymn is sung, the author of which is his sister Khosrovidoukht. Commemoration of the Virgin Eugine, her father - Philippus, her mother Klothia and her two servants Date Philippus was a Roman nobleman. Being appointed the Governor of Egypt, together with his family he moved to Alexandria. Eugine, the daughter of Philippus, upon his father advice began to study in Alexandria. During the studies she read the Apostle St. Paul s epistles with great interest. Believing in Christ, Eugine and her two servants were baptized and became Christians. Then wearing man s clothing, she entered a monastery and later became the Abbess. A young woman fell in love with Eugine and being refused by her, blamed her in an attempt to rape. Facing the judge, who was her father, Eugine was forced to reveal the truth and to identify herself. Her father and other relatives, listening from Eugine about the Savior, became Christians. Becoming aware of that reality, the Emperor ordered to kill Philippus. Their family moved to Rome, where they were beheaded because of being Christians. Eugine was beheaded on the day of the Holy Feast of Nativity and Theophany. Soon after that Eugine s mother - Klothia was martyred, too. Commemoration of the Hermits St. Triphon, St. Parsam and St. Vonoprios Date St. Triphon the Hermit was martyred in the town Nicaea during the reign of the king Dekos, the hermit St. Parsam the Hermit lived in the deserts of Syria in the middle of the fifth century, and the hermit St. Vonoprios the Hermit was born in Egypt in the fourth century. After living in the monastery for a while Vonoprios moved to the desert and lived there for 60 years without meeting anyone. Like many other hermits, Vonoprios healed many sick people. That is why people pray especially to that saint for healing children and in case of difficult confinement.

5 Commemoration of St. Gregory the Theologian Date St. Gregory the Theologian has left rich literary heritage, which was translated into Armenian in the 5-8th centuries AD. In all probability St. Moses of Khoronk has made a part of translations into Armenian. St. Gregory the Theologian is one of the most prominent figures of Christianity, who by means of the struggle against Arians has kept Christianity uncorrupted and by means of his works he has greatly influenced the formulation of the Christian theologian ideology. St. Gregory the Theologian was born in 328 AD in the village Ariangue near the town Naziangue, of Cappadocia. He was the son of the Bishop Gregory. Gregory studied in Caesaria, and then in Athens. In Athens Gregory became acquainted with St. Barsegh of Ceasaria - one of the prominent figures of Christianity in the future. After leading ascetic life for a while, Gregory returned to Naziangue, where he was ordained as a priest by his father. Later he became the Bishop of Sasima. Together with St. Barsegh of Ceasaria St. Gregory the theologian struggled against the Arians. He participated in the 2nd Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. St. Gregory passed away on January 25, 389 AD.